NaturePlus: Message List - Where should I report spider bite to? I think people and medical profession need to be aware.http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/community/identification/bug-forum/spiders?view=discussions
Most recent forum messagesenFri, 27 Sep 2013 13:18:25 GMTJive SBS 4.5.6.0 (http://jivesoftware.com/products/clearspace/)2013-09-27T13:18:25ZenRe: Where should I report spider bite to? I think people and medical profession need to be aware.http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/message/35195?tstart=0#35195
<!-- [DocumentBodyStart:98630f8c-4b79-4ea9-b48b-72d88af2d9f5] --><div class="jive-rendered-content"><p>From the treatment &amp; medical awareness aspect, your local health authority should be made aware that there are spiders potentially able to deliver a bite. Your doctor would now seem to be aware of this.</p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">&#160;</p><p>From the aspect relating to species identification &amp; range, the British Arachnological Society run a recording scheme. However, this will require you to positively identify specimens, or photograph them for review &amp; identification (either on this forum, or on the BAS forum). Firm identifications are not always possible from photographs however &amp; some species can appear indistinguishable from others at a quick glance, or to the inexperienced (even to the experienced - though the extent of my experience is essentially that I tend to see the same few species over &amp; over. However, I still often have to catch specimens and put them under the magnifier to ID them, even then identifying the exact species is beyond me &amp; I can only get as far as identifying the family &amp; genus). </p></div><!-- [DocumentBodyEnd:98630f8c-4b79-4ea9-b48b-72d88af2d9f5] -->Fri, 27 Sep 2013 10:49:13 GMThttp://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/message/35195?tstart=0#35195MWJB2013-09-27T10:49:13Z1 year, 6 months ago0Where should I report spider bite to? I think people and medical profession need to be aware.http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/message/35135?tstart=0#35135
<!-- [DocumentBodyStart:b8d81d69-666e-4b9b-abeb-876b3502399c] --><div class="jive-rendered-content"><p>I wish to report this officially, as these false widow spiders have&#160; not been recorded in Derby. I also think it is clear there is an increase and this hot summer may have allowed the spread further north. I do not want newspaper sensationalism, and also wish to keep this conifdential. However, it is clear from a previous case that the medical profession do not know about this and look for the symptoms. They certainly would not have done in Derby. </p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">&#160;</p><p>I also think people should be warned to seek immediate medical help as my previous bite turned into cellulitis which can be quite serious. THe symptoms get worse and seem to peak about the second to third day. </p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">&#160;</p><p>I am a aware that the newspapers would love a picture of my swollen arm, and the scar from the previous bite as they are currently running stories on this ( independent.)However I wish to report this to people who will deal with the information appropropriately rather than sensationally. </p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">&#160;</p><p>I did not know that we had spiders in the uk capable of this. I think health professionals should be made aware of this too. My doctor was excellnt both times- and rang for information. These bites are VERY unpleasant and very painful this time. </p></div><!-- [DocumentBodyEnd:b8d81d69-666e-4b9b-abeb-876b3502399c] -->Thu, 26 Sep 2013 16:49:04 GMThttp://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/message/35135?tstart=0#35135bitten2013-09-26T16:49:04Z1 year, 6 months ago10